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Brad Morgan of Nashville, Tenn. sings with his band Wednesday, March 16, 2016, during the St. Paddy’s Quadruple Double Party at Beer Can Alley and The Exchange in Des Moines.
Scott Morgan/For the Register

Scott Tigner, 21, and Alexa Guessford, 25, both of Des Moines, Wednesday, March 16, 2016, during the St. Paddy’s Quadruple Double Party at Beer Can Alley and The Exchange in Des Moines.
Scott Morgan/For the Register

Luke Draisey, 25, (left) and Nathan Hemsley, 25, both of Des Moines, Wednesday, March 16, 2016, during the St. Paddy’s Quadruple Double Party at Beer Can Alley and The Exchange in Des Moines.
Scott Morgan/For the Register

Sylvester Miller, 34, of Clive and Allyson Parman, 24, of Des Moines, Wednesday, March 16, 2016, during the St. Paddy’s Quadruple Double Party at Beer Can Alley and The Exchange in Des Moines.
Scott Morgan/For the Register

Eden Sexton, 27, (from left) Matt Sexton, and Michael Dulch, 27, all of Des Moines, Wednesday, March 16, 2016, during the St. Paddy’s Quadruple Double Party at Beer Can Alley and The Exchange in Des Moines.
Scott Morgan/For the Register

Jake Kelly, 24, of Des Moines (left) and Eric Slings, 31, of Grimes, Wednesday, March 16, 2016, during the St. Paddy’s Quadruple Double Party at Beer Can Alley and The Exchange in Des Moines.
Scott Morgan/For the Register

Mackenzie Haefner, 23, and Danny Edwards, 28, both of Des Moines, Wednesday, March 16, 2016, during the St. Paddy’s Quadruple Double Party at Beer Can Alley and The Exchange in Des Moines.
Scott Morgan/For the Register

Logan James, 28, (left) and Travis Smith, 29, both of Des Moines, Wednesday, March 16, 2016, during the St. Paddy’s Quadruple Double Party at Beer Can Alley and The Exchange in Des Moines.
Scott Morgan/For the Register

Cassie Frye, 25, (left) and Brock Grubbs, 25, both of Perry, Wednesday, March 16, 2016, during the St. Paddy’s Quadruple Double Party at Beer Can Alley and The Exchange in Des Moines.
Scott Morgan/For the Register

Noah Tank, 25, of Nashville, Tenn., (left) and Nathan Ramsey, 25, of Des Moines, Wednesday, March 16, 2016, during the St. Paddy’s Quadruple Double Party at Beer Can Alley and The Exchange in Des Moines.
Scott Morgan/For the Register

Tom Hansen, 43, of West Des Moines, and Nicole Hellberg, 41, of Marion, Wednesday, March 16, 2016, during the St. Paddy’s Quadruple Double Party at Beer Can Alley and The Exchange in Des Moines.
Scott Morgan/For the Register

Paige DeCicco, 21, of Minneapolis, and Jared Uhl, 21, of Iowa City, Wednesday, March 16, 2016, during the St. Paddy’s Quadruple Double Party at Beer Can Alley and The Exchange in Des Moines.
Scott Morgan/For the Register

Eric Scott, 25, (left) and Ben Falladori, 25, both of Des Moines, Wednesday, March 16, 2016, during the St. Paddy’s Quadruple Double Party at Beer Can Alley and The Exchange in Des Moines.
Scott Morgan/For the Register

Tyler Swope, 23, and Jennifer Keys, 23, both of Ames, Wednesday, March 16, 2016, during the St. Paddy’s Quadruple Double Party at Beer Can Alley and The Exchange in Des Moines.
Scott Morgan/For the Register

Don Gustofson, 45, (left) of Moline, and Will Gustofson, 39, of Nashville, Tenn., Wednesday, March 16, 2016, during the St. Paddy’s Quadruple Double Party at Beer Can Alley and The Exchange in Des Moines.
Scott Morgan/For the Register

Brett Graham, 23, of Chariton, and Sunshine Renee, 30, of Des Moines, Wednesday, March 16, 2016, during the St. Paddy’s Quadruple Double Party at Beer Can Alley and The Exchange in Des Moines.
Scott Morgan/For the Register

Dan Billings, 24, of Ames, and Chelsea Loxterkamp, 22, of West Des Moines, Wednesday, March 16, 2016, during the St. Paddy’s Quadruple Double Party at Beer Can Alley and The Exchange in Des Moines.
Scott Morgan/For the Register

Kim Burkhead, 28, and Noble Burkhead, 33, both of Altoona, Wednesday, March 16, 2016, during the St. Paddy’s Quadruple Double Party at Beer Can Alley and The Exchange in Des Moines.
Scott Morgan/For the Register

Zach Comer, 28, (left) and Chris LoMay, 21, both of Des Moines, Wednesday, March 16, 2016, during the St. Paddy’s Quadruple Double Party at Beer Can Alley and The Exchange in Des Moines.
Scott Morgan/For the Register

Jessica Tran, 26, of Des Moines (left) and Emily Hackbart, 23, of Johnston, Wednesday, March 16, 2016, during the St. Paddy’s Quadruple Double Party at Beer Can Alley and The Exchange in Des Moines.
Scott Morgan/For the Register

Angela Hackbarth, 25, of Johnston, and Joe Harmon, 32, of West Des Moines, Wednesday, March 16, 2016, during the St. Paddy’s Quadruple Double Party at Beer Can Alley and The Exchange in Des Moines.
Scott Morgan/For the Register

Nina Lo, 26, and Adam Nong, 27, both of Des Moines, Wednesday, March 16, 2016, during the St. Paddy’s Quadruple Double Party at Beer Can Alley and The Exchange in Des Moines.
Scott Morgan/For the Register

Keonte White, 23, (left) and Jon Williams, 24, both of Des Moines, Wednesday, March 16, 2016, during the St. Paddy’s Quadruple Double Party at Beer Can Alley and The Exchange in Des Moines.
Scott Morgan/For the Register

Nick Lyon, 22, (from left) Sam Skogen, 22, and Derek Witt, 23, all of Des Moines, Wednesday, March 16, 2016, during the St. Paddy’s Quadruple Double Party at Beer Can Alley and The Exchange in Des Moines.
Scott Morgan/For the Register

Anneshia Watson, 23 (left) and Haley Wood, 23, both of Des Moines, Wednesday, March 16, 2016, during the St. Paddy’s Quadruple Double Party at Beer Can Alley and The Exchange in Des Moines.
Scott Morgan/For the Register

Kyle McIntosh, 24, of West Des Moines (from left) Kaine Wadsley, 23, of Urbandale, and Emily Vaughn, 23, of Ames, Wednesday, March 16, 2016, during the St. Paddy’s Quadruple Double Party at Beer Can Alley and The Exchange in Des Moines.
Scott Morgan/For the Register

Crystal Haley, 29, (left) of West Des Moines, and Tina Schuerch, 29, of Urbandale, Wednesday, March 16, 2016, during the St. Paddy’s Quadruple Double Party at Beer Can Alley and The Exchange in Des Moines.
Scott Morgan/For the Register

Patrick Andrus, 26, and Liz Feight, 21, both of Des Moines, Wednesday, March 16, 2016, during the St. Paddy’s Quadruple Double Party at Beer Can Alley and The Exchange in Des Moines.
Scott Morgan/For the Register

Brenda Kaneer, 38, (left) of Ankeny, and Nikki Ehlert, 27, of Nashville, Tenn., Wednesday, March 16, 2016, during the St. Paddy’s Quadruple Double Party at Beer Can Alley and The Exchange in Des Moines.
Scott Morgan/For the Register

Anneshia Watson, 23 (left) and Haley Wood, 23, both of Des Moines, Wednesday, March 16, 2016, during the St. Paddy’s Quadruple Double Party at Beer Can Alley and The Exchange in Des Moines.(Photo: Scott Morgan/For the Register)Buy Photo

‘Twas the first day of March Madness and all through the cityFans are cheering, even for KansasThe welcome mat is laid out in Cowles Commons with careIn hopes that all these visitors will soon return here.

Also: Booze.

Like sugar plums and fruitcake, shots and brewskis are a big part of March Madness and, if you so choose, we encourage you to partake smartly and safely.

Here's what you need to know about booze in Des Moines before you knock back a few:

1. Extra police are on duty

About 50 extra police officers will be on duty downtown. About 20 will be around the arena and about 30 will cover the Court Avenue bar district and other busy areas.

4. Open container laws will be enforced

Des Moines police said they will issue citations to people with open alcohol containers in public. Open drinks, however, are allowed within licensed street parties like the Hoops and Hops party in Cowles Commons and various street parties on Court Avenue during the weekend.

Providence, R.I., is suspending its open container laws in two downtown zones during the NCAA tournament. There are no such plans in Des Moines, said Sgt. Paul Parizek, a Des Moines police spokesman.

"I think (Providence) is going to regret that," he said.

5. But, you can have beer at the St. Patrick's parade

A city ordinance allows open containers along parade routes, so you can have a beer at Friday's St. Patrick's parade. Just don't open it on the walk to the parade route, Parizek said.